Visegrad Group Society for Developmental Biology: 

Inaugural Meeting       

      This meeting aims to establish „Visegrad Group Society for Developmental Biology" (V4SDB). Societies for Developmental Biology are non-profit scientific associations, which are active in many non-European and western European countries, plus pan-international. Such societies exist to promote functional integration of researchers working in the field of Developmental Biology (i.e. the study of process by which animals & plants grow and develop); thus, promoting exchange of highly relevant knowledge and experimental methodology, establishment of cooperation in active research, opportunities for establishing important professional networks (especially relevant to junior researcher career development) and wider education and the publicising of a most fundamental branch of biological research (i.e. one closely related to preclinical research which maintains the potential to significantly and positively impact human and commercially important organisms). Despite these advantages, there are currently no such societies in any Visegrad country. Therefore, the establishment of “V4SDB” and the undertaking of an inaugural scientific meeting will provide the missing forum to foster more efficient and integrated research in Developmental Biology across Central Europe, according to established societal precedents found elsewhere in world. Specifically, the V4SDB meeting itself will act to assimilate the most recent and fundamental insights into the cellular/molecular mechanisms of development, stem cell biology and the newly emerging knowledge connecting development and disease.

 MAIN TOPICS OF THE MEETING:

- Early embryo development

- Pluripotency & stem cells

- Mechanisms of cellular differentiation

- Gene networks and epigenetics in development

- Tissue morphogenesis

- Development-related diseases

- EVO-DEVO

STUDENT SESSIONS (scheduled before the start of the meeting proper):

- Student talks (afternoon of Thursday September 6th)

- Practical workshops for students (morning of Friday September 7th)

 The registration fee includes:

- Meeting materials: program, abstract book, delegate directory and information

- Refreshment in morning and afternoon coffee breaks

- Opening reception (Friday evening)

- 2 x lunch (Saturday and Sunday)

- Social evening - banquet (Saturday evening)

- Student sessions are open (free of charge) just for undergraduate and graduate students